While the economy reopening is cause for celebration, it’s important to balance that with caution. People going out more often means homes being left empty more often. That creates opportunities for burglars. If you’ve let down your guard over the course of the pandemic, it’s time to raise it again. Here are some tips to help.
Put key valuables in a safe
The term “key valuables” basically means anything with legal/financial and/or sentimental value. You can stretch this definition as far as your space and budget allow. For example, you could store photos on a hard drive and put the hard drive in the safe. This means that if the worst does happen, you should have some level of protection.
Ideally, choose a safe which is fireproof and waterproof. Both are important. Remember, if there is a fire, the fire brigade may need to use water to put it out. That can cause more damage than the fire itself.
Keep expensive items out of sight
In brutal terms, your address can probably tell a burglar a lot about your likely net worth. That said, you don’t want to give burglars (or anyone else) any more information than you can help. One way to ensure privacy is to use an appropriate window treatment. The main options are privacy film, net curtains and blinds. Alternatively, you can just make sure valuables cannot be seen by looking in a window.
Consider putting your pets into daycare
These days, having a dog may be an inducement for burglars rather than a deterrent. Other pets can also make desirable targets for thieves. If you have to go out for anything more than a brief period, consider leaving your pets with someone else or getting a reliable pet-sitter (make sure you can trust them).
Physically secure your internet connection
If you have home security devices, the chances are that they work off your home internet. Hopefully, you’ve already made sure that you’re using a secure password for your WiFi. If not, address this as a priority. Find where your internet cable enters your home and make sure that a burglar cannot just cut through it thereby disabling all your security.
If you don’t have much (or anything) in the way of home security, then you might want to give serious thought to upgrading. If you’re looking at CCTV remember that it needs lighting to be effective. Also, it needs to be installed in a GDPR-compliant manner or else you could find yourself in trouble with the law.
Protect your parking space
If you can get your vehicle in and out of your garden, then a burglar can do the same. The closer a burglar can park to your home, the easier it is for them to move your belongings into their vehicle. If you don’t fancy having to deal with gates every time you need to go somewhere, consider a smart parking bollard.
Essentially, these are moveable bollards that can be fitted to your driveway. When they are up, they act as barriers. When you want to move your car, you use an app on your phone to lower the bollard. You may use the app to raise it again or it may raise itself automatically as it detects you driving away.
Secure your doors and windows
This may sound like stating the obvious. If, however, you’ve been spending most of your time at home, you may have lost the habit of securing your doors and windows properly.
Ideally, doors should have two looks and a chain and a viewing glass. Use all four all the time unless there is a reason to take them off. Windows should be locked all the time. Generally, they can still be opened to some extent even with the locks on.
Use these precautions even when you’re in your home, especially at night. It’s a horrible thought but burglars can enter a house with people in it. Take precautions against this happening.
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